The Hôtel Mezzara will become the Guimard Museum

It took ten years for the Hôtel Mezzara to accept its vocation, which was nevertheless self-evident: it will become a museum dedicated to its architect, Hector Guimard, and more broadly to Art Nouveau. An institution that was sorely lacking in Paris.

1. Hector Guimard (1867–1942)
Hôtel Mezzara, street-facing façade, 60 rue Jean de La Fontaine, 75016 Paris
On the left, a setback is visible, corresponding to the service areas.
Photo: Le Cercle Guimard

See the image in its page

Ten years of procrastination. As time went on, the promotion of this architectural gem was increasingly relegated to the background, the urgent priority becoming its mere preservation. Unoccupied since 2015, the building, constructed in 1910 in the 16th arrondissement of Paris (ill. 1 and 2), has inexorably deteriorated and is today in a worrying condition (ill. 3 and 4), despite being classified as a Historic Monument in 2016. Its owner is none other than the French State, which initially considered selling it for seven million euros, more concerned with the profit it might bring than with the protection and enhancement of its architectural heritage. “The scale of the investment needed for the Ministry of Culture - or one of its public institutions - to take over this historic monument, as well as to restore and develop its interiors and garden, appears disproportionate […] in relation to its potential for promotion.” Such was the argument of the Ministry of Culture (see the article).
Yet the association Le Cercle Guimard, founded in 2003 and now chaired by Nicolas Horiot, has been mobilized from the start, stating loud and clear that this site should not be privatized but turned into a museum space accessible to the public. Was it really necessary to recall Hector Guimard’s importance for Art Nouveau? One only has to mention the Paris Métro entrances, famous throughout the world. It was high time he received proper recognition.

2. Hector Guimard…